Automatic locking device for hydraulic turbine wicket gates

ABSTRACT

A spring biased plunger located on the turbine head cover moves upward into engagement with the wicket gate lever arm when the gates are in a closed position. A pressure fluid operated servomotor is connected to the plunger and is activated to withdraw the plunger out of engagement with the wicket gate lever arm when it is desired to open the wicket gates. An opening in the plunger body aligns with an opening through the lever arm when the gates are in the full open position. A pin extending through both openings locks the gates in the open position.

[451 Nov. 18, 1975 AUTOMATIC LOCKING DEVICE FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINE WICKET GATES [75] Inventor: Robert G. Grubb, York, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Allis-Chalmers Corporation,

Milwaukee, Wis.

[22] Filed: Dec. 4, 1974 [21] Appl. No.2 529,351

[52] US. Cl 415/163; 251/113 [51] Int. Cl. F01D 17/12 [58] Field of Search 251/111, 112, 113; 415/163, 161,164,165

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 917,970 4/1909 Smith etal .f. 251/113 1,150,941 8/1915 Ito 5.; 251/112 1,570,536 l/1926 Syvertsen 415/164 2,930,579 3/1960 Boyd et a1 415/163 214 l \7 g n \8 l8 I I I I 1 n I 7 I a r D W 1 4 1 8 E 1v l 11 a7 1 II 1 I "8 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 946,185 1/1964 United Kingdom 415/163 Primary Examiner-Henry F. Raduazo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John P. Hines 7] ABSTRACT A spring biased plunger located on the turbine head cover moves upward into engagement with the wicket gate lever arm when the gates are in a closed position. A pressure fluid operated servomotor is connected to the plunger and is activated to withdraw the plunger out of engagement with the wicket gate lever arm when it is desired to open the wicket gates. An opening in the plunger body aligns with an opening through the lever arm when the gates are in the full open position. A pin extending through both openings locks the gates in the open position.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 1 of 3 US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,920,351

Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet3of3 3,920,351

AUTOMATIC LOCKING DEVICE FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINE WICKET GATES This invention relates generally to improvements in hydraulic turbines and more particularly to improved mechanism for locking the turbine wicket gates in both the open and closed positions.

Heretofore in hydraulic turbines automatic wicket gate locking mechanisms have been constructed in various ways. One prior art construction consisted of a spring actuated latch engaging the operating ring of the wicket gate operating mechanism when the wicket gates were in the closed position. Another type of wicket gate locking mechanism incorporated the use of a hooked pawl to engage the wicket gate opeprating rod whenthe operating rod was in the closed position. Other locking mechanisms included means for trapping hydraulic pressure fluid in the wicket gate operating servomotor to keep the gates in the closed position. An improved type of gate locking mechanism is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,942,846 which utilizes a pair of pawls spring biased into engagement with the wicket gate operating servomotor when the gates are in the closed position.

It is the intention and general object of thisinvention to provide an improved wicket gate locking mechanism which engages the wicket gate lever arm to hold the gate in either the opened or closed positions.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic turbine wicket gate locking mechanism. including'a spring biased plunger which is permitted to move into engagement with the wicket gate lever arm when the wicket gate is in a closed position and which is withdrawn from engagement with the wicket gate lever arm'by action of apressure' fluid operated servomotor when it is desired to open the wicket gate.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic'turbine wicket gate locking mechanism of the hereinbefore described type wherein the locking plunger is supported on the turbine head cover and the wicket gate lever arm passes over the withdrawn plunger when the wicket gates are in a position other than a closed position.

An additional specific object of the subject invention is to provide a hydraulic turbine wicket gate locking mechanism of the hereinbefore described'type wherein an opening through the wicket gate lever arm aligns with an opening in the spring biased plunger body when the gates are in a closed position to permit insertion of a locking rod to hold the gates in the open position.

These and other objects of the subject invention will become more fully apparent as the following description is read in light of the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the subject wicket gate locking mechanism showing the wicket gates in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line II--Il in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 although showing the wicket gates in the open position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along the lines IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged isometric view showing the position of the locking mechanism when the wicket gates are in the closed position; and i FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view showing the position of the locking mechanism when the wicket gates are in an extreme open position.

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIG. I, the hydraulic turbine is indicated generally as 6. An annular head cover 7 is an integral part of the turbine and provides a support for pivotally mounting a plurality of circumferentially spaced wicket gates 8. A lever arm 9 has one end thereof rigidly connected to the wicket gate trunnion 11 for pivotal movement therewith. The opposite end of the lever arm 9 is pivotally connected to a piston rod 12 of the gate operating servomotor. The cylinder 13 of the gate operating servomotor is pivotally connected to the turbine 6. The lever arm 9 is provided with a plunger engaging surface 14 on one edge thereof the function of which will be described hereinafter.

A plunger body generally designated 16 is rigidly connected to the turbine head cover 7 in any conventional manner and is herein shown as being welded to the head cover. The plunger or lock body 16 may be constructed in any conventional manner to provide a sliding chamber for the plunger 17. As herein shown forpurposes of illustration the plunger body 16 has a groove machined therethrough into which the plunger is slidably contained. A pair of side plates 18 are welded to the plunger body 16. A TEFLON lining 19 or any similar type of material may be utilized to line the plunger body groove.

A fluid pressure operated servomotor 21 is pivotally connected to the plunger body 16 by means of a pin 22. The servomotor piston rod 23 is connected to the plunger 17 by means of an additional connecting pin 24. Biasing means herein shown in the form of a plurality of circumferentially spaced coil springs 26 are contained in aligned bores 27 and 28 respectively in the facing side of the plunger 17 and the plunger body 16.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1 pressure fluid supply means are schematically shown as a pump 29 submerged in a fluid reservoir 31. Control means generally designated 32 selectively deliver pressurized fluid to and from the servomotor 21. The control means 32 v may be constructed in any well known conventional manner and is herein schematically shown as a spool valve 33 operated by a pair of electrical relays 34 and 36. The relay 34 may be connected to the turbine govemor or any other convenient location wherein an electrical contact can be closed to energize the relay when the wicket gates are in the closed position indicated in FIG. 1. The relay 36 is similarly electrically connected to the turbine governor or any other convenient location where an electrical contact will energize this relay 36 when a signal is given to open the wicket gates.

In operation when the wicket gates have moved to the closed position shown in FIG. 1 the relay 34 is energized to cause the spool valve 33 to permit pressure fluid to flow from the servomotor 21 to the sump 31. This permits the springs 26 to move the plunger 17 out of the plunger body 16. This is the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5. The surface 14 on the lever arm 9 contacts the plunger 17 and is therby prohibited from moving to a wicket gate open position. If necessary manual locking means may be provided in the form of a pin 37 extending through aligned holes in the side plates 18 and through the plunger 17 as shown in FIG. 2. The lock pin 37 may be provided with a hole to re- 3 ceive a conventional padlock 38 to insure that the gates cannot be moved from the closed position.

When it is desired to open the wicket gates a signal is provided to the relay 36 which moves the spool valve 33 to direct pressure fluid from the pump 29 to the servomotor 21. This causes the piston rod 23 to contract as shown in FIG. 4, withdrawing the plunger 17 into the plunger body 16 and compressing the coil springs 26. The wicket gates 8 may then be moved to any open position including the full open position shown in FIG. 3. When in the full open position a first opening 39 provided through the lever arm 9 aligns with a threaded opening 41 in the plunger body 16. If it is desired to lock the wicket gates in the open position a threaded pin generally designated 42 can be inserted into the holes 39 and 41 and similarly a lock pin 43 may be extended through aligned bores in a collar 44 provided about the opening 39. An additional bore through the pin 43 may be utilized to receive a conventional padlock 45.

From the above description it can be seen that a positive locking mechanism has been described for the hydraulic turbine wicket gates. This mechanism permits locking the wicket gates in both the fully open or fully closed positions.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a hydraulic turbine having a plurality of wicket gates supported for pivotal movement between extreme open and closed positions, mechanism for locking the wicket gates in an extreme position comprising: a lever arm connected to a wicket gate for movement therewith; pressure fluid operating means connected to said lever arm for moving said lever and the connected gate between said open and closed gate positions; a pressure fluid operated plunger connected to said turbine selectively movable into and out of holding engagement with said lever arm; pressure fluid supply means; and control means selectively connecting said plunger to said pressure fluid supply means adapted to permit said plunger to move into said holding engagement position with said lever arm when said gates are in 4 an extreme position and to permit said plunger to move out of said holding engagement position when said gates are in a position other than an extreme position.

2. In a hydraulic turbine having a plurality of wicket gates supported for pivotal movement between extreme open and closed positions, means for locking the wicket gates in an extreme position comprising: a lever arm connected to a wicket gate for movement therewith; pressure fluid operating means connected to said lever arm for moving said lever and the connected gate between said open and closed gate positions; a pressure fluid operated plunger connected to said turbine selectively movable into and out of a holding engagement position with said lever arm when the connected gate is in an extreme position; means biasing said plunger toward said holding engagement position; pressure fluid supply means; and control means selectively connecting said plunger to said pressure fluid supply means adapted to energize said plunger to cause same to move out of said holding engagement position when said gate is in a position between said extreme positions and to deenergize said plunger to permit said biasing means to move said plunger into said holding engagement position with said lever arm when said gate has moved to an extreme position.

3. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 wherein said hydraulic turbine includes a head cover and said wicket gates are pivotally supported thereon, said lever arm is supported by said wicket gate for swinging movement in a plane parallel to and spaced above said head cover and said plunger is reciprocably mounted in a plunger body rigidly connected to said turbine head cover below the plane of movement of said lever arm.

4. The mechanism set forth in claim 3 and further comprising: walls defining a first opening extending through said lever arm; walls defining a second opening in said plunger body, said first and second openings being relatively arranged so they are in alignment when the associated wicket gate is in an extreme position; and means selectively insertable into said aligned opening to prohibit movement of said associated wicket gate. 

1. In a hydraulic turbine having a plurality of wicket gates supported for pivotal movement between extreme open and closed positions, mechanism for locking the wicket gates in an extreme position comprising: a lever arm connected to a wicket gate for movement therewith; pressure fluid operating means connected to said lever arm for moving said lever and the connected gate between said open and closed gate positions; a pressure fluid operated plunger connected to said turbine selectively movable into and out of holding engagement with said lever arm; pressure fluid supply means; and control means selectively connecting said plunger to said pressure fluid supply means adapted to permit said plunger to move into said holding engagement position with said lever arm when said gates are in an extreme position and to permit said plunger to move out of said holding engagement position when said gates are in a position other than an extreme position.
 2. In a hydraulic turbine having a plurality of wicket gates supported for pivotal movement between extreme open and closed positions, means for locking the wicket gates in an extreme position comprising: a lever arm connected to a wicket gate for movement therewith; pressure fluid operating means connected to said lever arm for moving said lever and the connected gate between said open and closed gate positions; a pressure fluid operated plunger connected to said turbine selectively movable into and out of a holding engagement position with said lever arm when the connected gate is in an extreme position; means biasing said plunger toward said holding engagement position; pressure fluid supply means; and control means selectively connecting said plunger to said pressure fluid supply means adapted to energize said plunger to cause same to move out of said holding engagement position when said gate is in a position between said extreme positions and to deenergize said plunger to permit said biasing means to move said plunger into said holding engagement position with said lever arm when said gate has moved to an extreme position.
 3. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 wherein said hydraulic turbine includes a head cover and said wicket gates are pivotally supported thereon, said lever arm is supported by said wicket gate for swinging movement in a plane parallel to and spaced above said head cover and said plunger is reciprocably mounted in a plunger body rigidly connected to said turbine head cover below the plane of movement of said lever arm.
 4. The mechanism set forth in claim 3 and further comprising: walls defining a first opening extending through said lever arm; walls defining a second opening in said plunger body, said first and second openings being relatively arranged so they are in alignment when the associated wicket gate is in an extreme position; and means selectively insertable into said aligned opening to prohibit movement of said associated wicket gate. 